Dark souveniring: just a souvenir or something more complex

Abstract

ABSTRACT Dark tourism shops have faced considerable moral criticism. This study draws on site observation and worksheets associated with a field trip to the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, to examine children’s souvenir purchasing experiences. Employing thematic analysis of children’s narratives, the findings reveal that dark souvenirs can facilitate contextualisation of the site, emotional engagement, and symbolic meanings for the purchase of such souvenirs. Souvenirs and souveniring are discussed in reference to cause-related marketing strategies to balance the commemorative, educational, and economic objectives. The cause-related marketing partnership between the museum and charitable organisation enhances the acceptance of the souvenir shop and its products. The concept of cause-related marketing is valuable for explaining museum and charity shop dynamics, to inform effective management.